Osmanthus you could put in the ground, figo is probably best in a container, depending on how cold it gets where you are. I'm not sure when you'd prune a figo, as it seems to remain in active growth most of the year, but I'm guessing spring isn't the best time. I'm not so sure about the osmanthus not being a fudingzhu as they're not supposed to be that fragrant and the standard fragrans has very strongly scented flowers. Maybe it could be the conditions responsible?

Hi, Ariel. Congratulations on your new plants.

I agree with Rising Power, don't try to prune the figo now. You are most likely to cut off the buds and ruin the flowering. A good rule of thumb is to prune after flowering.

The o. fudingzhu is distinguished by having bursts of many, many flowers at once. As Rising Power said, the scent depends on conditions, warmth, humidity, sunshine, etc.

As for putting them in the ground, they should both be hardy in zone 9, tho I don't know your local conditions. If you call Nurcar, I'm sure they can talk to you about planting in the ground.

Good luck with your new plants.

Definitely don't prune the M. figo. The M. figo is a very slow grower, and it could take a long time to recover.

My picture of the O. fragrans 'Fudingzhu' was deceiving because it was a close up and because it was at the peak of flowering. Right now, it looks like any other Osmanthus and looks like my others. I'm sure Nurcar didn't send you the wrong one. Mine has just a couple of blooms, but nothing like it did last September.

Ariel - I received my order yesterday too. I am happy with their shipment. My Michelia figo skinneriana is also 2 ft tall with several small buds. I planted in a 8inch pot.

Clare & Mehitabel the buds are 1inch oblong brown buds, how long do they take to bloom?

I've got buds on my figo atm, not quite as large as yours. I'm guessing it'll bloom around the late march/april stage.

Khandi, the buds start off very small; tight buds about the size of an apple seed, and just keep getting bigger. At 1 inch, they could open nearly any time. They are fragrant in the day time.

The wonderful thing is that there seem to be more buds that you can't see yet that keep forming and coming along. I hope you enjoy!

Thank you everyone for your replies. I feel better about it now. I am sure everything is as it should be.

Kandhi, I am jealous of your figo. The buds on my fig are still small. But I know that it is goingto smell great when it blooms!!!

Ariel

Ariel, I was wrong my buds are not 1inch they are 1cm same as yours since we both ordered at the same time. I am happy for the fact that the plant is healthy and big with good root system.
I think I ordered 1gal size that I repotted it in 8inch pot, I hope I potted it is right size container.

The M. figo var skinneriana buds get to be pretty large before they bloom. You should have blooms by the spring. Mine is blooming now.

Here's a recent picture:
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Here's my regular M. figo starting to bloom:

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Shame it's not warmer here yet, going to be a while before we see any blooms here. Beautiful plants though there.

Clare, your plants look beautiful. when did you buy your Michelia skinneriana and how tall is it now? It looks like it is in pot, what size pot you have it in. You sure do have a green thumb, every picture of your plants looks well taken care and beautiful.

Thanks, RisingPower and Kandhi! I think I got mine last August, and it is still only a couple of feet high if that. I don't think it has grown any since I got it. I have it in a narrow clay pot, but it is definitely ready for a bigger pot. I'll probably transplant to a five- or seven-gallon container.

It is in fantastic shape. If I could only take mine outside, it would be so much better for the plant, water is fairly hard around here. Would use rainwater but have no drainpipe to fill a water butt with. On another topic, which orchids do you have clare?

RisingPower, I just set buckets out in the rain and water with those. We've had something like 30 inches of rain this year so the buckets fill up nicely!

About orchids, I've not had the desire to grow them. I've received them as gifts on occasion and somehow managed to kill them. That's okay though because I have too many collections/obsessions now as it is:-)

Ah, last time I saw you had a nodosa, thought there was more. I'm learning the hard way it's more difficult to control spending on orchids than other unusual plants.

Buckets are an idea, but I think i'd run out of water well before finishing the last plants I have inside. Thing is, they seem to be doing fine even with the hard water we have here, so I'm not sure it's necessary.

If a heliconia doesn't mind the hard water, I doubt others will. Murraya seems happy enough, as do gardenias, figo looks okayish, think it was lack of sun which turned some of the leaves slightly yellow, strelitzia is recovering after getting too wet, orchids look fine with tap water atm too.

I'm wondering whether the same thing applies with the radermachera as someone said recently about murrayas, they can grow as weeds with no flowers if they're propagated certain ways, as the label on one of my murrayas said "foliage" not flowers.

I think I'm being a bit too optimistic with what I can actually grow here atm, you've definitely got more suitable conditions in CA. I had no interest in orchids until I smelt some zygopetalums, vandas and angraecums, can't stand the phaelenopsis which you can pretty much pick up everywhere. They're definitely worth a sniff if you can find some in flower.

RisingPower, I don't think I've ever owned a nodosa. I think you should continue to be optimistic and grow whatever you like. You can always create suitable conditions. I do like orchids, but I have entirely too much to take care of now as it is. I have collections of wisteria, michelia, jasmine, gardenias, passiflora, plumeria, brugmansia, adenium, and other fragrants and semi-tropicals.

Well, hopefully I should have a plumeria obtusa khao puang(singapore) in april, not sure where it's going to go though.

You do have one of the most comprehensive collection of unusual plants I've seen though.

RisingPower, I have a Dwarf White Singapore and a Dwarf Pink Singapore. You will love them. They have the darkest leaves with rounded tips, which are evergreen, and heavenly scented flowers. Thanks for the compliment:-)

You guys are so great. I keep adding more plants into my house, now I am wondering where to put my bed. All the sunny spots in my house has been taken over by plants.

I always think that, but then find enough space to squeeze in a few more. Mainly orchids currently. Going to have to find space to squeeze in that plumeria that should be coming sometime in april.

Ariel, don't be discouraged by the small blooms on your Fudingzhu. Mine is without blooms at the moment because our March here in SC has been so chilly. The fall flushes of bloom are the biggest, the winter ones tend to be smaller clusters. I have seen a few large Fudingzhus, and it does seem they get better with age. Its still my favorite Osmanthus by far. My Magnolia(Michelia) skinneriana is just loaded with buds and I can't wait for it to bloom. How can it be mid March in SC and not be spring????

I had a bloom on M.skinneriana today. The fragrance is heavenly. Thanks to everyone who suggested the buy. Looking at all the pictures here I was thinking the flowers are atleast 4inch in size but myne bloomed at 2inch size. What is the maximum size of the blooms and how long do they stay bloomed?

Kandi, mine are about an inch across, I think. I don't think they get much bigger than that. My M. figo var skinneriana and my regular M. figo blooms last for a day or two, sometimes three.

clare,your pictures of m.figo are beautiful.I live in L.A.can you please tell me where did you buy your plant?thanks.